Guangzhou Opera House

Guangzhou, China

2003 – 2010

Guangzhou Municipal Government

Built

70,000m2

At the heart of Guangzhou’s cultural sites development, a lasting, state-of-the-art monument to the new millennium overlooking the Pearl River. Its contoured profile, unique twin boulder design and approach promenade enhances urban function, opens access to the riverside and dock areas and creates a new dialogue with the emerging town.

The Guangzhou Opera House is a structure that rises and falls at the foot of Zhujiang Boulevard, confirming Guangzhou as one of Asia’s cultural centres.

Bringing together two adjacent sites for the proposed Museum and metropolitan activities, it forms an adjunct to the Haixinsha Tourist Park Island and a dominant riverside focus for visitors.

Viewed from the park at the centre of Zhujiang Boulevard, the Opera House creates a visual prelude to the Tourist Park Island beyond. Viewed from the river, the towers of Zhujiang New Town provide a dramatic backdrop to the Opera House and offer a unified vision of the setting’s civic and cultural buildings.

An approach promenade is cut into the landscape – an internal street beginning at the proposed Museum site at the opposite side of the central boulevard and leading to the Opera House. To one side of this promenade, a cafe, bar, restaurant and retail facilities are embedded shell-like into the landforms.

Visitors arriving by car or bus are set down at a ‘drop-off’ point on the north side of the site on Huajiu Road, while service vehicles access the Opera House and Theatre Buildings at either end of the same road. VIP access to the Opera House is from the western boundary, facing Huaxia Road.